Ron Rudnicki’s outdoor installations transform landscapes and reimagine space. Taking inspiration from nature, his creations harmonize with their environment. Rudnicki’s skills include working with steel, stone, and gardening, and he often combined all three to manipulate the familiar outdoors. The artist maked subtle interventions—using materials like stone that blend into the setting, while leaving what is already there untouched—that both preserve and enhance the beauty of a site.
Rain Gates responds to deCordova’s landscape, complementing the space that surrounds it. The artist installed variegated rocks and plants along a meandering pathway that extends up the museum grounds. By using natural materials, such as granite and water, he blurred the lines between human intervention and already existing organic elements. The installation is embedded into a hill, and water flows throughout, trickling down into a small pond. The granite arches at various levels, a bridge, and the meandering rocky path encourage exploration. Rudnicki’s piece is an immersive space that is simultaneously tranquil and playful and stimulates curiosity.
Rudnicki was born in 1956, in El Paso, Texas. After receiving his BA from Castleton State College in Vermont, he completed his MFA at the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth. He lived and worked in Massachusetts for much of his life. He created many installations, including site-specific works at UMass Dartmouth and LongHouse Reserve in East Hampton, NY. He received several awards, including the Boston Herald Award (2006) and the Boston Society of Landscape Architects Award (1996).